Being accepted into the school of your choosing can be a challenging process, whether you're a high school student thinking about your next chapter or an adult returning to college. Nevertheless, it's also an exciting period, full of the potential to learn about fascinating topics and interact with new people while pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree.
Before submitting your college applications, the process begins by researching programs, selecting your top colleges, and checking the admission requirements. There is much to learn about the application process for colleges, admission requirements, and application deadlines. However, submitting an application for an online college is essentially the same as submitting an application for a campus-based school.
Application Terminology to Know
The majority of online colleges demand an application, however specifications can change. Investigate the admissions policies and application criteria of the colleges you're thinking about attending before you begin working on your college applications. Most institutions will use one of the enrollment policies listed below. There are, however, a few circumstances in which you can enroll in online courses without submitting an application. Individual extension courses or nonacademic professional development courses fall under this category.
What Is Open Admission?
Open admission institutions often accept the majority of applicants as long as they have a high school diploma or have passed the GED. This category includes several two-year colleges, such as community colleges and academic certificate programs, as well as some four-year universities. Although there are few entrance requirements and the application is reasonably straightforward, you must complete it online.
What Is Regular Admission?
Only a small percentage of candidates are accepted each year by the majority of four-year schools and universities due to competition. You must submit an application package that includes an online application form and a number of other required things in addition to meeting a number of admission standards. In the school year that precedes the fall term in which a student intends to start studies, the deadline for submitting an application for the majority of schools falls between November and February. A school reviews all applications concurrently and notifies all applicants of its admission decisions simultaneously.
What Is Rolling Admission?
Colleges and universities using rolling admissions set standards and demand application packages be submitted within a specific deadline for each academic year, similar to institutions that use regular admissions. But, in this instance, applications are assessed as they come in, and each candidate is informed of the school's choices as they are made on a regular basis. Even if they are qualified, the school will no longer accept more students for the following academic year once a program is full. You should submit your application as soon as you can if you're determined to attend a school that offers rolling admissions.
Online College Application Deadlines
The question of when to begin applying to colleges is one that many prospective students have, and the answer is generally sooner than you might imagine. Following are schedules for adults who have already graduated from high school but wish to pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree.
College Application Timeline for High School Students
The application deadlines for online colleges are typically the same as those for on-campus schools, so planning your submission schedule is crucial, especially if you want to attend a highly selective four-year college or university. The majority of high school students who plan to attend college should follow the timeline below:
Junior year: This is usually the time when you begin to consider your possibilities, including looking at rankings lists of the most popular, most cheap, and nonprofit online universities. To make sure you're applying to schools that are a good fit, dig deeper to make sure you understand each school's admission standards, programs, professors, resources, and any other relevant factors. You can contact schools directly by using the OnlineU request forms, which are available by clicking on a school in a rankings list. You might also wish to get advice on this stage from your school counselor. If at all possible, schedule your entrance exams, such as the SAT or ACT, during this time period. If possible, schedule them earlier rather than later to allow time for retakings.
Summer before senior year: The summer before senior year is a great time to start thinking about college applications because it is less hectic than the start of the last school year. Even if it might seem early, there is still a lot to do to finish the application process, including writing college essays, which can be difficult and time-consuming.
Before the start of the senior year, roughly 10% of all colleges and universities in the United States offer early decision (ED), early action (EA), and early evaluation (EE) enrollment options. Early application to highly selective schools may increase your chances of admission. But, keep in mind that ED decisions are final, so you can only apply to your top-choice ED school early and, if you're accepted, you must attend that university. EA judgments, on the other hand, are not legally binding, thus you will still be able to select another institution. Also, EE choices are not final, so if you are rejected, you can still apply to other institutions.
Midway through a senior year: Typically, this is the time when the majority of schools and institutions that use regular enrolment begin accepting application materials. Don't wait until the last minute to submit your applications; instead, take note of the deadlines for each institution you choose to apply to. Transcripts, letters of recommendation, and personal essays are just a few of the numerous parts of an application package that should be sent as soon as feasible.
College Application Timeline for Returning Adults
You will still adhere to a similar timeframe for submitting college applications if you took some time off between high school and college. Have a plan for finishing the procedure and meeting application deadlines, especially if you want to attend a competitive four-year institution or university.
A year to a year and a half before the planned commencement date: Although it might seem early, now is the ideal time to start looking at your possibilities. To make sure you're submitting applications to universities that will fulfill your needs and assist you in achieving your goals, research each institution's admission requirements, programs, professors, resources, and any other relevant variables. You might start by looking at rankings of the most well-known universities, nonprofit online colleges, military-friendly universities, and cheap possibilities.
Twelve months in advance: Approximately one year before the scheduled start date, some of the more prestigious and competitive institutions and universities permit potential applicants to submit their applications. Around 450 institutions offer early decision (ED), early action (EA), and early evaluation (EE) enrollment, according to the College Board. You ought to be conscious of the fact that ED choices are final before pursuing these opportunities. This implies that if you're accepted, you'll have to commit to attending the one and only ED school of your choosing. EA and EE decisions, on the other hand, are not final, so you can choose whichever school you've been admitted to and still submit applications to other institutions if you're not. Consult schools’ websites for early submission policies and deadlines.
Six to twelve months in advance: Application deadlines typically fall between November and February of the academic year prior to the start of the following academic year for the majority of colleges and universities that employ a regular or rolling admissions policy. This is six to twelve months in advance. For individual application dates, check the websites of each school you wish to attend, and send in your materials as soon as you can. Give yourself plenty of time to acquire transcripts, request letters of recommendation, and compose personal essays because applying requires much more than just completing a form. Any open enrollment programs should be applied for at this time.
College Application Deadlines 2023
We can determine when to submit college applications in the fall of 2023 by applying these timetables to the current calendar:
Summer 2023: Students who have just finished their junior year of high school and are about to begin their senior year ought to be putting the finishing touches on their college applications. Returning adults fit this description as well. It's time to finish your research, gather the materials you'll need to finish your applications, and compose your personal essays if you haven't already decided on a list of potential colleges.
August to September 2023: Take into account submitting early applications if you intend to apply to highly competitive schools. Make sure you are aware of the conditions for early decision applications.
The deadlines for the majority of schools and universities that use regular enrollment come between November 2023 and March 2024. Also, now is a good time to send your application to colleges that accept students on a rolling basis.
Steps to Take if You've Missed the Deadline for College Applications
The first thing to do if you discover you want to start in the fall term this year but missed a school's application deadline is to get in touch with the admissions office and talk to a counselor. The school may be open to accepting a late submission if you missed the deadline for a good reason, such as a significant sickness or family emergency. Yet, you'll probably need to make alternative plans if the missed deadline resulted from careless preparation or carelessness. A gap year, applying to start school the following spring term, or enrolling in a community institution that allows open enrollment are all possibilities.
How to Fill Out an Application for Online College
The formal application is completed online using the school's website or an application provider to start the application process for online institutions. As the majority of applications have comparable questions, it's a good idea to compile all the data beforehand, such as:
- Personal contact information
- List of classes taken and grades earned
- List of extracurricular activities (sports, jobs, school activities, volunteer work, etc.), including dates
- List of awards and other examples of recognition, including dates awarded
- High school transcript and/or diploma
- College transcript (for transferring, graduate, or postgraduate applicants)
- Admission exam reports stating SAT or ACT scores
- Personal essays or statements
- Letters of recommendation
- Lists of extracurricular activities and awards
- Portfolio of work (especially for art and design students)
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